[lbo-talk] Writers' strike

[J Cullen]

Thanks for the background on copyright, Jerry.  A similar 
infringement has occurred in journalism, where corporate media 
increasingly claim the rights to all the work done by their 
employees, or effectively bar them from freelancing.  It used to be 
common for newspaper reporters, particularly at smaller newspapers, 
to supplement their income -- or aggrandize their egos -- by 
stringing for wire services or magazines.  As more newspapers come 
under corporate chain ownership, media execs have clamped down on 
stringing.  (I think this was the policy at Hearst Newspapers when I 
worked there. Perhaps if there are any newspaper journalists on this 
list they can fill in other examples.)

Worse, media companies are increasingly requiring freelancers to sign 
over all copyrights. Freelancers used to sell first publication 
rights (what where then called first North American serial rights) 
but oftentimes kept subsequent publication rights. With the New York 
Times leading the way, now many media companies simply take all 
rights -- and if they give the freelancers anything extra, it usually 
is a pittance.

See 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/albert-kim/why-dont-journalists-get_b_72728.html/. 
Apparently work-for-hire was codified in 1976 revisions of the 
Copyright Act.

(At The Progressive Populist we pay freelancers a pittance to start 
with, but they are free to peddle their wares anyplace else.)


>Jordan Hayes wrote
>>  In this case however, the writers have been paid their 'share' for the
>>  episode, or whatever ... plus they earn a share of the 'residual'
>>  revenue, like many in the entertainment industry on the 'creative' side.
>>  It's just not how much of a share that they'd like.

Jerry Monaco wrote:


>I would like to clarify a few things here:  For one, those not covered
>by the WGA contract don't get residuals.... for instance writers in
>practically all animations show.  But let us put that aside for the
>larger context that Jordan's way of expressing the situation leaves
>out.  In this way of putting things he unknowing puts on the glasses
>of the corporations in order to see things.
>
(snipped)